1969 Buick Riviera

Description

The day of the Riviera has arrived. For those of us who love these cars, we've known for years that machines like this 1969 Buick Riviera have been almost criminally under-valued. That's changing, and once you see the quality of the restoration and the long list of features in this gentleman's muscle car, you'll understand why these are very special cars.

The Riv was fully redesigned in 1966 and incrementally updated until 1970, and there are a good many enthusiasts who believe the '69 is the best-looking of the bunch. Looking at this gorgeous Twilight Blue Riv, it's hard to argue. For many years, the values on these cars meant that restorations were rarely done properly and you never saw a big investment. That's definitely not the case here, with laser-straight bodywork, beautiful paint with a deep shine, and good panel fit throughout. The work is a few years old so it's no longer perfect, but you're going to have to look pretty hard to see the flaws and touch-ups. The shape is as striking today as it was 50 years ago, conveying a sense of power and competence without resorting to stripes and wings. No, this is a car for grown-ups, but you don't have to be shy to own it, because you're going to get A LOT of attention. The chrome is in good order and the white vinyl top offers a nice contrast that helps it look low and sleek. The only notable demerit is that the vacuum canisters for the drop-down headlights need to be serviced-a common issue that can be remedied.

The beautiful blue interior was also expensively restored using correct patterns and materials and it's always cool to see buckets and a console in a full-sized luxury car. The dash would set the pace for Buick for the next decade and this car is loaded with options including cold A/C (with R134a refrigerant), a tilt wheel, power windows, power antenna, and that cool speed alert system. Gauges cover only the basics, so they've added a trio of VDO mechanical gauges deep under the dash where they almost vanish. And we have to say this might be the coolest shifter ever. There's an aftermarket AM/FM/cassette stereo that sounds decent, and inside the hushed Buick interior, sound quality matters, and there's a custom amplifier and CD changer neatly built into the trunk.

That's the original, numbers-matching 430 cubic inch V8 under the hood, which was rated at a very substantial 360 horsepower and a towering 475 pounds of torque. It makes the big Riv feel downright fast, but it's effortlessly smooth under all circumstances and just ignores the drag of things like A/C and power steering. Dante Red paint on the block gives it a traditional Buick look and proper decals have been installed as needed. It appears to be almost entirely stock, including the big Rochester 4-barrel carburetor that replaced the dual quads when the 425-inch V8 was dropped. Factory exhaust manifolds feed a mellow-sounding Flowmaster dual exhaust system which uses polished tips under the rear bumper. The TH400 3-speed automatic transmission was the only option, but you already know it's indestructible, and the beefy rear end houses highway-friendly gears. Note that this car has not spent its life in the snowbelt and it looks fantastic sitting on Buick Road Wheels and big 235/75/15 Goodyear white-letter radials.

If you've been admiring these cars, now is the time to buy because they won't be getting cheaper. This one stands out and gets everything right, and it's still a fraction of the price of a Chevelle or GTO. Have your cake and eat it, too with the Buick Riviera. Call now!